Those with flame-haired heads are more sensitive to certain types of pain and require more anesthetic to knock them out according to a new study. It is believed that only around 1 to 2% of the human population have red-hair, although this rises to 6% in Scotland and 10% in Ireland, and that genetic factors that lead to red-hair also affect other parts of these individual's physiology.
Red-hair, sometimes known as 'ginger' hair or 'strawberry blonde', is the result of a genetic mutation in the MC1R protein receptor. What scientists have now discovered is that this MC1R receptor is also responsible for hormonal issues and susceptibility to pain. A fact that has been backed up by experimentation.
It is already known by anesthetists that those with red-hair require a larger dose of anesthesia to knock-them out before an operation, even accounting for gender, age and body mass. In fact, according to a study published by the National Centre for Biotechnology Information, red-haired patients needed as much as 20% extra inhaled anesthesia to knock them out-cold before dental surgery.
The study also found that while red-haired people are more sensitive to thermal discomfort, and feel hot and cold to a greater extent, that overall they felt pain differently when faced with other stimuli compared to people with brown, black or blonde hair. In effect, red-haired people are just that bit tougher than everyone else!
The origin of red-hair is believed to date back tens-of-thousands of years but became more common as humans began living in darker corners of the Earth with lower sunlight, and less vitamin D. Scotland and Ireland are regions where ancient humans would have lived since at least the end of the last ice-age, and as a result, had to genetically change in order to absorb more vitamin D in harsher conditions. Vitamin D deficiency can cause a host of devastating health-problems and is even today blamed for being the reason that Scotland is the world's number one hotspot for multiple-sclerosis. Scottish lawmakers have even debated putting extra vitamin D in flour to counter this.
It hasn't always been easy for the flame-haired among us, historically women with red-hair were framed as having great sexual thirsts or that they were even witches, while red-hair in men was associated with barbarians and primitive peoples. Thankfully nowadays red-hair is seen as a beautiful unique hair-colour that sets you apart from the crowd.
Now with your natural red-hair, not only are you uniquely beautiful, but you can also know that you are probably that extra-bit tougher than everyone else. Stay strong red-heads!
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